Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Neomi is the creator of the rapidly growing Facebook page "Whats for Supper," where women share what they're making for dinner that night. She studied nutrition at Touro College and is an avid student of the medical books and works of holistic practitioners like Annemarie Colbin, Christine Winthrip...and Rambam! Neomi lives with her husband and eight kids in Montreal, Que. In April, she will complete her studies to become a Life Coach. Keep coming back to LadyMama for Neomi's Nutrition Notices - teaching you how to incorporate healthy choices, one tip at a time!
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"Sometimes a yummy full-grain muffin (maybe with some nut flour added for protein)

can be made the night before and had in the morning with some herbal tea."

Hello Ladies!

I've been asked by the lovely Mimi of LadyMama to do an interesting series, providing tips on healthy eating for you and your family. I will also include nutritional healing elements of different foods that nature has provided for us. Welcome to "Neomi's Nutrition Notices!"

LET"S TALK ABOUT BREAKFAST

Firstly I would like to look at the most important meal of the day. Breakfast jumpstarts your metabolism and the little brain cells that need nourishment. Breakfast needs a little advance planning and maybe getting up ten minutes earlier...but it deserves true recognition!I like to start my family off with some fruit (and maybe some raw nuts) on an empty stomach and then follow up with something more filling. Like oatmeal with cinnamon (blood sugar stabilizer, and yum!), or a full grain or sprouted grain bread toasted with a nice topping of peanut butter, or even a touch of regular butter once in a while. Maybe some eggs?

You're gonna laugh, but my kids decided some years back to eat soup for breakfast. And why not? It's warm and full of vegetables and sometimes grains. They often like to add a few tablespoons of cottage cheese inside which makes mama happy for the added protein. All I need to do for this breakfast is heat it up...

Sometimes a yummy full-grain muffin (maybe with some nut flour added for protein) can be made the night before and had in the morning with some herbal tea. A good breakfast eaten leisurely (for a full ten minutes anyway that the morning allows anyway!) can make the whole day flow gently because we are much more equipped to face it!

Did I hear someone say something about cereals? I find them excellent for packing in my children's lunch boxes in baggies for snack. If you really need your cereal in the morning, maybe try have it with warmed milk to nourish your system. And please make sure its a healthy one with very little sugar count on the side panel and very high protein to fill you up! Kashi makes excellent ones with high protein counts...13 grams!

In the summer months, I like to make smoothies for my kids' breakfasts. I toss frozen and fresh fruit in the blender, some yogurt and raw honey and - voila! - "dessert" for breakfast! Try adding some flax seeds if your children allow, they come in a light golden color too!

There is alot more left to be said, but we have to leave some things for next time! Until then, keep healthy and strong!

It's pretty sad that this week marked the first time I sent my dear husband off to work with a real lunch. And I wouldn't even call it "real." A sandwich, some leftover potato salad, veggie-chips, two tangerines, string cheese, crackers, raisins....as if he's in elementary school! Alas, this was prepared on one of those need-to-go-grocery-shopping-desperately days, so I'm not beating myself up. And at least the man didn't come home STARVING. And yes, I inspected the remaining contents fervently upon his arrival!

I was really taken aback by how good it felt to do something kind for my husband. I hope I can keep it up....you know, occasionally! :)

Chava is a 26 year old mother of two girls living in Kensington, NY. She has been a practicing makeup artist for nearly seven years and recently began doing makeup for the exploding field of religious women's theater...in which she also loves to perform! Chava offers lessons to women, teaching them how to apply their own makeup like a professional. In addition to makeup, her passions are singing, comedy and keeping her kids out of her shoe rack. Chava is available to do makeup for simchas and productions in New York. You can contact her to book a consultation or job by e-mailing beautybychava@rocketmail.com

Mention LadyMama when you book me for any occasion and get a 20% discount on TWO faces(including the Kallah's). And as usual, kallahs get a free trial! Spread the word! Call me at 718-986-1211.

"There is no eye color that some shade of purple with not make pop.

Unless its clownish or neon, its almost impossible to go wrong with purples."

MAKING YOUR EYES POP

One of the questions I am asked most often is, "How can I make my eyespop?" Everyone has heard the "opposites attract" rule, which is the basis behind the eye-color custom palettes you see in drug stores. I'm gonna give you some out of the box methods.

First is one word: PURPLE! There is no eye color that some shade of purple with not make pop. For blues I go more plum and work my way toward more amethyst shades the darker the eye color gets. But the truth is, unless its clownish or neon, its almost impossible to go wrong with purples. Another way is to go with metallics. As with many other colors, I find they all work well on everyone if you have the right shade.

But for the most pop value try this:

Browneyes: use bronze. Green or hazel eyes: use true gold. Blueeyes: use a dark gold or brass instead of the predictable silver.

Gently sweep the metalic color over the eyelid and fade it out by blending just over the brow bone so its a nice wash of color but not too densely applied. Take a smaller brush or even a Q-tip and smudge a bit of the color just under your lower lashes as well. Finish with several coats of a volumizing mascara.

There's another way if you're in a rush. So many women fear bright colors. But colored eyeliner can do the job of both a liner and a shadow, adding both color and definition. So in fact you end up looking more toned down than you might with your regular shadow and black liner. For brown eyes, any jewel tone will pop your peepers, like amethyst or emerald. But the one I find most unexpected for brown eyes is rich, deep saphire blue (not navy, but more of a glossy deep royal blue). A thin, but not too thin, line on your upper lid, slightly winged out and you can skip the eye shadow and head to work.

For green eyes, use plum liners. Hazel eyes use purple but more in the amethyst range. Blue eyes should go for rich metallic or reddish browns. For those of you rare but lucky souls who have Elizabeth Taylor's naturally violet eyes, silver and taupe will show off what you've got.

In all cases, highlighting wakes up the eye big time. Using either a highlighting eye shadow or highlighting cream, dab it on the inne corners on the eyes where it meets the nose and the outer corners, blending well. Use eye drops to diminish redness so you look wide awake!

Monday, February 21, 2011

A fellow-mom posted this to a mothers group I belong to on Facebook. Thought all the mothers out there of not just one, maybe two and - aaah! - three kids could appreciate this laugh!

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1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.
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Preparing for the Birth:
1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don't bother because you remember that last time, breathing didn't do a thing.
3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your eighth month..
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The Layette:
1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?
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Worries:
1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up the baby
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.
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Pacifier:
1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in..
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Diapering:
1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.
2nd baby: You change their diaper every two to three hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.
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Activities
1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, Baby Zoo, Baby Movies and Baby Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaners.
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Going Out:
1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home five times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.
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At Home:
1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children
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Swallowing Coins (a favorite):
1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the hospital and demand x-rays
2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for the coin to pass.
3rd child: When third child swallows a coin you deduct it from his allowance!
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Thursday, February 17, 2011

By Becky BrownsteinBecky Brownstein is a wife, mother of five, cleaning lady, chef, program/trip organizer, taxi driver, blogger and all around great gal that lives in Kingston, Pennsylvania. Visit her website at http://spitsgiggles.blogspot.com where she shares all her experiences as a mother with the motto, "When all else fails, laugh!"

"My judging ways were backfiring on me and I didn’t even realize..."

THE JUDGING MOTHER

Have you ever felt like another mother was judging you? This question is almost like asking “Do beans give you gas?” Hello! Of course (to the first question - econd question is your own business)! Becoming a mother is breeding grounds for being judged. Be it for what snacks are fed to your own kids, what method you use to put your kids to bed, what’s for dinner, how you discipline, if their nails are cut, if their nose is clean, if they have ear wax, how often they are bathed, their behavior - IT NEVER ENDS! By writing this article I am in no way saying I am innocent. I am sure I have a long list of said judgments.When I first became a mother I figured out my methods of “parenting.” I quote parenting, since I had a baby and a toddler and thought I knew the secrets to the trade. I didn’t. Anyone who I thought didn’t have the secrets (my own secrets), I thought, was doing it wrong. This ‘judgment’ went on for years. It caused a ruckus, sometimes, in my personal life with my personal friendships. A ruckus with your friends is not desirable one bit. After one incident I felt so terrible I couldn’t eat or sleep. My judging ways were backfiring on me and I didn’t even realize. With my kids getting older my parenting responsibilities changed as did my philosophies of parenting. Anyone who thought otherwise was judged. (Typing these thoughts out makes me realize how catty and horrible it is. I am only able to type this out now, since I have come to a different realization). In our social circles we find friends with similar parenting styles and then gab about the ones whose aren’t the same. But in reality, what’s really going on is not just being judgmental, it’s insecurity. It’s the swiftest most fleeting thought of “Am I making the right decision?” that I believe fuels a lot of the judgments we make towards others. No one, for the most part, has any idea what they are doing. We all mess up our kids someway or another, (therapy!). Those who do know what they are doing, good for you! But be realistic...do you really? Every parenting book has a different philosophy, every self help book has something else to tell you whats right. There is no real right way of doing pretty much anything! There is only instinct. Who am I to judge a woman, who has watched her child grow from the start, when I am merely a bystander, to tell her what she is doing wrong? She’s not doing anything wrong. She’s just not doing it my way, she is doing it her way and her way is the right way for her because it’s her kids. Even if the books go against her, even if our little social circle doesn’t do it that way. Her way is correct because it’s her decision, not ours. She is the one to have to deal with her decisions and her philosophies on parenting be it positive for her or a struggle. So you let your baby cry to sleep, you give your kid a bottle in bed, you use a time out chair, you bathe your kids everyday, you have a household chart filled with chores for your kids, your 10 year old watches your baby, you nurse your baby till he’s a year or until he’s two, they walk across the street alone, you prefer a thumb over a paci, you wouldn’t dream of ever giving a paci. etc. I have done or allowed some of these things. Maybe not all but some. Someone might be reading this and be thinking, “You let your baby cry to sleep?! That’s neglect!” Maybe to you, but not to me. Bottom line is, in my experience as a mother, I have come to terms with the fact that perfection is something of the movies and fiction books. We all strive for perfection when what we should really be striving for is to making it work and surviving. I know that I have a bunch of kids. I know that I am not perfect and I will make mistakes, maybe even ones that have lasting effects. I just know that I am trying the best I can, as are other mothers, and I need to stay focused on the responsibility of my very own family and not to the other mothers who might do things differently. Besides, it makes me feel un-judged.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Chava is a 26 year old mother of two girls living in Kensington, NY. She has been a practicing makeup artist for nearly seven years and recently began doing makeup for the exploding field of religious women's theater...in which she also loves to perform! Chava offers lessons to women, teaching them how to apply their own makeup like a professional. In addition to makeup, her passions are singing, comedy and keeping her kids out of her shoe rack. Chava is available to do makeup for simchas and productions in New York. You can contact her to book a consultation or job by e-mailing beautybychava@rocketmail.com

Mention LadyMama when you book me for any occasion and get a 20% discount on TWO faces (including the Kallah's). And as usual, kallahs get a free trial! Spread the word! Call me at 718-986-1211.

Makeup Lessons From My Face Nightmare

I had a nightmare of a week, face wise.

I seem to have developed psoriasis on my face, which was compounded by an allergic reaction to the cream I was using to treat it! It looked like a bad burn. Add to that the cold weather and my face was so dry and cracked it bled if I smiled! It itched and looked terrible. So how have I been handling this? As a makeup artist it was bad. My face is my billboard. Dry, cracking skin with concealer caked on top doesn't exactly scream "beauty expert!"

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

By Chana (Gutnick) HerzogFor Chana, the challenges of motherhood were worse than she expected. But somehow, she finds that it's all worth it. If you're a new (or not so new) mom, you'll relate her account of "The Labor of Love."

Once I became pregnant, I preferred to dream about whether I would be having

a girl or boy, what it would look like, and how sweet it would be to hold it

in my arms…rather then how exactly it was going to come out.

THE LABOR OF LOVE

Soon after I gave birth to my son, a fellow pregnant friend anxiously asked me, "Is it as bad as they say?" I should have been more considerate of her feelings - being that at this point she had no way out - but I couldn't control myself. I simply told her, "It's worse."

Now, looking back, had I myself been warned what I was in for? No one wants to freak out a pregnant lady, and I had heard some gory labor stories as a girl, but they kind of went in one ear and out the other. I guess you could say that I was in denial. I never paid much attention to the details, because I never imagined the day would come, that I would be the one pushing and pushing, attached to drips and lying on a hospital bed in a white cotton nighty. Then, once I became pregnant, I preferred to dream about whether I would be having a girl or boy, what it would look like, and how sweet it would be to hold it in my arms…rather then how exactly it was going to come out.

Meet Mimi

Copywriter. Co-owner of MIMU MAXI.
Married to a musician. Mother of two redheads who live up to all the stereotypes.
Lover of people, truth, and a good chocolate chip cookie.
My articles are sometimes funny, often serious — always honest. Enjoy my articles and start a conversation by submitting your own!